In Auckland, I love how the city looks so modern, and yet you are so close to beautiful beaches and walking trails. There is even a trail that is COAST TO COAST and you can see the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Tasman Sea on the other side. What a fantastic place! Please let me know if you have been there! (And Graham and Paul, I know you live there, so I hope I don't get anything wrong here, I only know New Zealand from movies and from your blogs!) I was able to see the Hobbit House which is also on the North Island. They built it for the movie and decided it leave it for the visitors to New Zealand. If you go to Paul's blog from New Zealand, he has photos of it here!
Now, don't even get me started on everything I also want to see on the South Island. All the mountains and trails that are there would be like a dream to me...I love birds and flowers and everything in nature, so New Zealand just sounds like the perfect spot for someone who enjoys the outdoors...
Now, I have NEVER been there but that does not make me love it any less! I worked as a travel agent for many years and I sent people there so I had to know a bit about it. I actually had to talk many people into going there and after they got back, they wished they had taken more time to see New Zealand! I did have a few travelers who were very wealthy and had traveled all over the world. When I asked them what was the BEST place, their most favorite destination, one that that they were most grateful that they had seen, New Zealand was invariably the answer that they would give me.
Confession time: I started not to do this post but when I spilled some water on my desk at work today, and it reminded me very much of the shapes of the main islands of New Zealand, I thought it might be God's way of telling me I needed to go ahead with my post about New Zealand!
By the way, I really loved that movie that we watched. " Love Birds" starred Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins. You might know Rhys Darby from "Flight of the Conchords", he plays their manager. He is a really funny comedian and also a good singer! And guess what? I just read that Sally Hawkins is an English actress who is the daughter of Jacqui and Colin Hawkins, the children's authors! This might not mean anything to you, but you must know that I love children's books and recognize many authors. What, you say you are not surprised at all by that? I know I should be insulted but you have to work harder than THAT to insult me! (But please, don't try, I get insulted enough in my everyday life as it is.) Okay now, hope you don't mind my little talk about New Zealand, I quite enjoyed my job as a travel agent. I used to say, "Now, where in the world would you like to go?" to my customers, but no one quite got my sense of humor. I am so glad that YOU do, oh dear, sweet reader of my blog!
"Lord of the Rings" was filmed there, and I remember thinking as I watched it how beautiful that country is- Those forests and trees!
ReplyDeleteThey have filmed quite a few movies in New Zealand,"Lord of the Rings" being the most famous of them! (I LOVED LOTR, didn't you?!)
DeleteI loved the movie trailer..looks like something I would enjoy watching! The pics of New Zealand are amazing and I would have to say that if I enjoyed flying more I would go there in a minute!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I think you would really like it a lot. I am with you on flying, I wish I could twitch my nose and get there instead! :-)
DeleteMy dream vacation is to take cruise ships and end up in New Zealand for a couple of months as my main destination!
ReplyDeleteOh, that sounds wonderful, take me with you!!
DeleteI'm another who would love to visit New Zealand, someday! It does look amazingly beautiful. And what a great job, Kay! To be a travel agent. I hope you went traveling quite a bit yourself, too!
ReplyDeleteYes, doesn't it look so beautiful?
DeleteAlas, I didn't get to travel very often. I felt as if I did, since I sent so many people all over the world!
It looks like a dream land - they have everything, don't they? Mountains, beaches, forests.... :)
ReplyDeleteDid you ever see "The World's Fastest Indian"? It was set partly in N.Z., and very memorable - not so much for scenery, I thought, as for the characters. Anthony Hopkins's accent was superb and spot-on.
No, I haven't seen that movie, but I have heard of it since I knew Anthony Hopkins was in it. He is one of my favorites, he was in "84 Charing Cross Rd", with Anne Bancroft. Please tell me you have seen that movie, you would love it!
DeleteAnd New Zealand is a dream land for me, I doubt very much I could ever afford to go there!
It looks like a heart-warming story.
ReplyDeleteI want to see "The Hobbit" for the scenery. I hear it's gorgeous. My husband has always wanted to go to NZ.
Just goes to show what good taste your husband has (after all, he married you didn't he?)
DeleteIf you get the chance, make sure you see that movie. It's sweet but not overly so, if you know what I mean.
According to the official rule book, a manly man like me is required to holler quite loudly, "YUCK," to anything even remotely resembling a romantic comedy, but with me being such a wonderful husband, I will tell my wife about the movie. In regards to New Zealand, I would love to visit it someday. I will wait until more evidence of there no longer being any orcs left alive, however.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I must admit something to you. I don't usually like romantic movies but this had so much humor in it (and birds too!) that I really liked it.
DeleteI am with you about the Orcs, I remember thinking that they would have scared me to death when I was a kid. (I was even afraid of creepy monsters from cartoons, I have always been such a chicken.)
Going to New Zealand has always been a dream of mine......although I dream more of going to the South Island. When I loved in Switzerland I had a few "kiwi" friends and they only fueled my desire to go there even more. Alain loves the Lord of the Ring movies and I also watched The Hobbitt with him last weekend and the scenery if a feast for the eyes. My #1 dream trip is ICELAND though!!!! One day....
ReplyDeleteDo you not like The Lord of the Rings movies? I didn't know if I would like them, but of course, I watched them for three Christmases in a row when they first came out. You must know Richard and Christopher are BIG fans! I truly enjoyed them!
DeleteOf course, you would love New Zealand too. You know we have so much in common!
What makes you want to go to Iceland so very much? Do tell!!
Lea loves the movie. South African born she came to our beautiful country 10 years ago and has loved every minute. If you do come over you must come and see us and we'll show you around!
ReplyDeleteHey Paul! Glad that Lea likes this movie too!
DeleteAnd you are so sweet, I am just tickled at the thought of ya'll showing me around your beautiful country. Don't know if I ever could, but if I ever DO get to your part of the world, I most certainly would let you know!!
(And I must tell you, back when my eyes could read really big books, I read a book by James Michener called "The Covenant" and I have wanted to visit South Africa ever since!)
Thanks so much for your comment, from a real Kiwi!!!
I've put the movie in my Netflix saved queue - it isn't available yet. This will be a nice counterpoint to the WORST television show from NZ. Top of the Lake. Gross, awful/strange people, terrible situations. We watched a couple episodes and quit.
ReplyDeleteNan. As a Hebridean living half my time in New Zealand and never having heard of 'Top of the Lake' I looked it up. It would appear to have been made part Australian, part British and part USA and it was first (and as far as I know only) shown in the USA. In short (and I'm being very defensive of my partially adopted country) it appears to have had little to do with New Zealand apart from being filmed there.
DeleteNan,
DeleteIt's a sweet movie that will make you want to visit New Zealand!
So often, TV shows are disappointing to me. Like you, if I don't like them, I give up on them! :-)
Thanks, Graham for your comment, I have never heard of this show!
Kay, if you ever get the opportunity to go to New Zealand I do hope that you avail yourself of it. New Zealand is a wonderful place: the people, the scenery and just about everything makes it a tourist paradise.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I really don't need much persuasion to visit New Zealand, just a bit more time and money!!
DeleteFor someone like me, who loves to walk in beautiful scenery, I think it would be ideal.
Thanks Graham, for your comment. I really should have said more, but maybe my post will make folks investigate New Zealand a bit further. That Auckland website was terrific.
Came to visit after reading your comment on GB's blog. I agree "Love Birds" is a sweet movie and, as an Aussie living in NZ, also agree with your comments about my adopted country. It's a great place to live and explore.
ReplyDeleteHey Pauline!
DeleteThanks so much for your comment!
(Please, anyone reading this, click on Pauline's blog to see some FANTASTIC photos from New Zealand!)
Okay now, Pauline, I am a new follower of yours, so expect my insightful and delightful comments on your blog! ;-)
(Although I have not been able to spend much time on-line recently, too much time day-dreaming, I suppose.)
Oh, it does look so beautiful! I doubt if I could cope with the travelling myself. A work colleague visited relatives in NZ recently, and I felt exhausted just hearing her describe the flights! She did also mention that they'd had snow for the first time in years. Hope you get there some day Kay. I'm sure you will find a way if you're really determined!
ReplyDeleteHey Joanne!
DeleteSo nice to see your comment here, thank you!
Long flights are not easy and they are even harder as one gets older. You know, sometimes dreams do come true, so stay tuned to my blog! :-)
I must tell you that my husband and I LOVED New Zealand. It's one of few places in the world that we felt we would love to return to. The scenery was incredible and the people so very friendly.
ReplyDeleteHey Kay!
DeleteThanks so much for your comment!
As much as I like the scenery of New Zealand, I think it might be the friendliness of the people that would enjoy even more!
If you get a chance to see that movie, don't miss it, it's a good one!